An Inn at Port Said - copied to archive

Rabbit walks down the stairs from the sleeping rooms in the inn. Her hair is pushed up spikey from the new set of goggles she wears on her forehead. Her gaze drifts across the crowd, scanning. When she sees Key her face brightens and she walks over. She motions the barmaid and asks for some sort of breakfast gruel. She then sits down across from Key.

”Good morning shiny elf."

She seems much chipper this morning then normal, albeit she seems a little disorientated..

Rabbit smiles broadly, "I couldn't tell you where it came from, it just seems to match you."

She watches the barmaid arguing with the cook. "When I am near Luke I don't hear things, and I can sleep without nightmares or other things. Only other time was when I was really young."

She stops for a minute, realizing she said something she didn't mean too. She then gives an even bigger smile to Key. "By the way, a big secret my people haven't let out yet, especially to the surface elves is we have to sleep sometimes. Every generation it seems we have to sleep more. I don't mean our normal meditation, but actual out cold sleep."

She looks at Key's stuff on the table, "I can hold it off for a long time, but it builds up like some sort of karmic debt you have to pay off."

Rabbit looks down at her breakfast drink and thinks for a few moments, "I don't hate my people. I don't want to see them attacked or destroyed, or their lives ruined."

She looks up at Key, her eyes hard. "He would go squalling back to his family, they would then work on ways to exploit that weakness. My people would realize your people know and decide to push forward with plans that will give everyone pain."

She wraps her hands around the hot drink. "We were betrayed. All we have down there is each other. I agree it is horrific in some aspects, but I grew up in the worst set of homes. The stable boy, the bartender, they all have normal lives. Very similar to up here. They follow the gods, and while I would not follow that path again, most of my people don't follow Lolth more than by just giving a nod and living by the rules. There are many human empires up here almost as 'bad' as Glorion would say."

She hesitates again, "My life was more extreme then most, expectations were different and higher. That being said I wouldn't want to give a vengeance driven paladin a clue on how to hurt my people, and that is all he would do."

Rabbit watches her friend, no emotion, no smile as if studying her closely. It happens for a few seconds as she thinks and assesses her friend. Then almost as quickly as the emotion had disappeared, her face softens and she smiles. Her hands extend forward and she wraps her hands around Key. 

"I believe you, and I will do what I can to help you."

She pulls up Key's hand and gives it a peck, an almost courtly gesture and sets it back down.

I am never drinking again... The diminutive, disheveled figure of Reginald mused from his most recent position next to the washbasin. Another dry heave sent waves of pain spiking through his head and the scribe moaned a little, closing his eyes against the harsh light. Perched on the door leading into the small washroom, a large snowy owl dug its talons into the rough wood. An expressionless avian face turned one way and then the next, staring imperiously down at Reggie. {You should know better. You're almost half a century old by now, more than three times my normal lifespan. There will be no sympathy from me.} a feminine-sounding voice seemed to pierce his pounding head, sounding amused and a little satisfied. Reggie sighed and leaned back against the wall, covering his eyes from the light. It didn't help much, everything was too bright to begin with. He was discovering that he very much preferred the dim, comforting embrace of the Library. Moonbeam crooned at the shared memory, although for different reasons. The towering library shelves made for amply high lookout points for spotting any vermin wandering the rows.

{I'm hungry. Bring me a treat master.} Reginald grunted, a most uncharacteristic sound for him, and slowly clambered to his feet. Maybe some food would do him good. And he could get Moonbeam one of those pastries she liked so much. You do know that owls don't eat sweets right? Also... you should be asleep. The spectacled owl simply glowered down at him from her elevated position and lifted one black wing, plucking at her tawny, reddish-brown down. He stumbled down the stairs to the taproom leaning on his staff for support. Completely ignoring the other patrons he wandered over to the bar and climbed wearily up one of the stools (an impressive feat given his 4'2" diminutive stature), placing a gold piece on the counter. He quipped up with a voice that sounded far more perky and cheerful than he did, "Eggs benedict with strong coffee please. And none of that bottom-of-the-pot swill, I want something imported - with filtered water. Oh and a little pastry. Maybe a tart or... just whatever you have." He hopped down off the stool and waved a hand dismissively at the barkeep, mumbling under his breath and making his way over to a table. He clambered up into a chair and rested his forehead in his palms, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes. He presently pulled a pair of spectacles out of his pocket and began blearily wiping them with a soft cloth from his pocket.

Reginald sputtered and glanced up, nearly dropping his glasses. He peered nearsightedly at Keyleth, squinting heavily before sliding his glasses up onto his face. "Ah yes, it's you! Keyleth, right? I do apologize for my appearance this morning, your compatriots seemed to be quite insistent on drinking... heavily, especially that sailor boy... Supplies you say? Um.. yes... just a moment please..." The scribe tried to straighten his hair in vain before hopping down. He tottered a little unsteadily on his way over to the other table, still clearly under the influence of the night before. He stops before the table and peers over the edge of it before climbing up into the seat. "Ah, um... Rabbit is it? So many elves in your merry little band. Where'd the other two get off to? The shiny one and the minstrel? Anyways, I must apologize again, I'm not really feeling myself this morning."

He hopped a little more nimbly onto the stool, moving with grace despite his burgeoning hangover. He adjusted his glasses and blinked once at the note on the table before turning to Keyleth. "Well yes I'd say you have a good portion of the basics covered there. I think the biggest problems would be food and water, shelter, transportation, and knowing where you are going. I've got the second one covered, for this party at least. As far as transportation goes, I know that there are certain species of desert lizard that are used for riding, they can be quite adept at moving through the sand and are quite hardy. I'll be frankly honest they terrify me however. For truly long distances though nothing beats the dromedary, from what I've been told anyways. You have to understand I... I've not really been to the desert, although I have read a great many accounts and I've studied up for this! I would also recommend finding a reputable guide of some sort."

Key’s back straitens and she places both hands flat on the table, her barring regal. She waits politely for him to finish, then takes the paper back and starts to make notes as she speaks. She watches with a great deal of intensity to make sure her words are sinking in.

“Reginald. The ‘shiny one’, my husband Arthurian has gone home to take care of some business for me there. He will not be returning.”

She sets down the quill and leans forward. Her elbows resting on either side of her paper. She looks at Rabbit for a moment, then back to the halfling.

“Your a very intelligent man. I thank you for your input. I also understand that you spend most of your time around books. Logically this explains your lack of interpersonal skills. A few words of advice. First and foremost would be to learn our names, for certain. Second, would be learning to deliver information in a bit more of a succinct fashion. We are going into some situations that are life and death. We wont have time to have a 20 minute conversation.”

She looks back to Rabbit and picks up her quill.

“Thank you both for your input. I didn’t add water to the list because I figured it would be implied. I’d rather not ride a lizard. Im sure we can find horses some where in the city. The Order of the Band may also know the best places to purchase goods as well. They can also provide us with a guide.”

She sets the quill down again and leans back in her chair smiling, looking back and forth between her two companions.

“Any other suggestions?”